HDMA has announced the formation of the Commercial Vehicle Research Council, a dedicated research council to provide a forum for key trends and issues within the heavy-duty commercial vehicle industry.

Industry statistics suggest only about 30% of fleets do wheel balancing, and even those fleets usually balance only the steer axle wheels. IMI Products says if fleets balanced wheels at every position. they could see fuel savings and gains in tire life that would return their investment in balancing compounds tenfold in the just the first year.

Jim Moss, president of Kona Communications (publisher of Truck Parts & Service and Successful Dealer magazines), passed away on April 20 at his home in Kailua-Kona, Hawaii, after a brief illness. Moss was 82.

Trading on its global presence in the commercial tire market and the tremendous success of its consumer brand in the NAFTA market over the past decade, Pirelli plans to bring several popular sizes and types of truck tires to North America later this year.